X  nobrii petbbs co



(No Model.)

D. B. BLAOKE.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID ESTLFR BLACKE, OF SYDNEY, NEWV SOUTH WALES.

AX OR WEDGE FOR SPLITTING'WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,961, dated May 13,1890.

Application filed November 26, 1889. Serial No. 331,704. (No moclehl-Patented in New South Wales August 3, 1887, No. '73, and

in Queensland May 18, 1888, No, 4'71.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID ESTLER BLAOKE, accountant, a subject of theQueen of Great Britain, residing at Sydney, in the Colony of New SouthWales, Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAxes or \Vedges for Splitting Wood, (for which I have obtained LettersPatent in Queensland, dated May 18, 1888, No. 471, and New South WVales,dated August 3, 1887, No. 73;) and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

In constructing axes or wedges for splitting wood they are according tothe present invention formed with a series of ribs on each side, formingshallow grooves between said ribs. The tops of the ribs and the bottomsof the grooves are parallel throughout, excepting at the extreme ends ofthe ribs, and may be formed with flat faces, or they maybe in the formof corrugations or intheform of V-grooves between the ribs. By thisconstruction the ax or wedge is made much more effective in wedging thewood open as it is being split by lessening the friction'and thetendency to wedge fast in the wood, as is the case with ordinary axesand wedges for splitting wood. This form of ax or wedge, with ribs andgrooves or corrugations on its sides, is applicable both to machine axesand to axes for hand use, as also to wedges for splitting wood.

In order that my said invention may be more clearly understood andreadily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanyingdrawings, more fully to describe the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of an ax-head constructedaccording to my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section drawn on theline 1 1 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a cross-section drawn on the line 2 2of Fig.

1; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section showing a modification.

The ax-head may be of any known form; but according to my invention Iform the sides thereof with ribs a a, extending from about midway of thesocket clear to the cutting-edge, and between which are shallow grooves19 1), parallel with the ribs throughout substantially. In the drawingsthese ribs and grooves are shown with flat faces; but it will be readilyunderstood that they may be in the form of corrugations or of V-groovesbetween flat-faced ribs, as represented at Fig. 4. The height of theribs is gradually reduced to the edge of the axe to enable the same tobe readily ground to a sharp edge.

The ax-heads shown in the drawings are formed for axes for hand use; butthe invention is also applicable to other forms of axes for either handor machine use, as also to wedges for splitting wood.

I would here remark that I do not confine myself to the forms ordimensions of the grooves, as such may be varied without departing fromthe nature of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secureby Letters Patent is 1. An ax or wedge constructed with ribs and grooveson the sides thereof, said ribs extending from about midway of thesocket to the cutting-edge, substantially as set forth.

2. An ax or wedge constructed with ribs and grooves on the sidesthereof, the tops of said ribs and the bottoms of said grooves beingparallel throughout their length, excepting at the cutting-edge, wherethe ribs grad- 8o ually merge thereinto, substantially as set forth.

DAVID ESTLER BLACKE. Witnesses:

J AS. JOHNSTON, I. CRosBIn.

